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John Baer   

John M. Baer is a graduate of Mount St. Mary's University in Maryland, holds a Masters Degree from Temple University, is a former Fellow of the American Political Science Assn. in Washington, under whose auspices he studied at the Brookings Institution and worked a year in Congress, and a Fellow of the Loyola University School of Law's inaugural Journalist Law School program in Los Angeles. The National Journal (in 2002) called Baer one of the county's top 10 political journalists outside Washington, saying Baer has, "the ability to take the skin off a politician without making hurt too much."
 
Email John at baerj@phillynews.com
Posted 2:09am
NOW SOME fun facts from that $28.3 billion state budget passed (late, as usual) over the July 4 holiday weekend when nobody noticed.
 
Guv: We can't afford new courthouse now
 
What will the jurors think of Fumo?
 
Complete coverage of politics
Posted 07/02/2008
THE LARGEST full-time legislature in America is set to stampede out of Harrisburg for its annual summer break - leaving, as usual, a bunch of good ideas trampled underfoot.
A BAD PUN: Gov. Ed tries to push Pennsylvania forward, but he just can't budge it. See, it's June 30, the end of the state fiscal year, another budget deadline, and guess what?
YOU'D THINK that our conservative-leaning Legislature would jump at a chance to save $100 million a year in the state welfare budget, wouldn't you?
I'M NOT MUCH of a rock concert fan. I'm too old and they're too loud. And even when I wasn't too old I didn't go to many.
IF YOU WERE from another planet and went to yesterday's Senate State Government Committee meeting in the Capitol, you might think that Pennsylvania is a progressive place.
I SAID IT before. I'll say it again. Until state lawmakers help hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians without adequate health care or insurance, they should forgo their own taxpayer-financed coverage.
I HAVE TO CONFESS. The presidential primary season that just ended hit me - a practicing political cynic - as a remarkable bit of democracy.
AS STATE lawmakers rattle around the Capitol trying (again) to pass a budget on time, or trying (again) to pass a statewide smoking ban, I'm reminded (again) of the need for reforms - and how unlikely they are to happen.
What's it mean for the party?
NOW THAT it's finally, formally over - even if Hillary Clinton didn't concede last night - what did this seemingly endless race bring to Democrats, women and the general election?
IT IS NOW crystal-clear: The Clintons have jumped the shark, left the building, gone over the edge. And it's time to say buh-bye.
ENJOY YOUR Memorial Day? Back at work today? Well, your state Legislature, the largest, most expensive full-time legislature in the nation, is still on its two-week Memorial Day break.
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